The Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), has attributed the low turnout in the District Level Elections (DLE) to inadequate publicity.
According to Mr Paul Aborampah Mensah, the Programmes Manager in charge of Local and Urban Governance at CDD-Ghana, the media and civil society organisations did not put in enough effort compared to the build-up for national elections.
He noted that, unlike the extensive coverage and promotion of the national election, the District Level Elections were only advertised three weeks after the Electoral Commission (EC) initiated its promotion.
“The publicity, to me is not enough. I don’t blame the Electoral Commission either because we are part of the problem for District Level Election. If it were to be a national election, the media would start a countdown from a year ahead of the election,” he noted in an interview monitored by The Ghana Report on Joy News.
He added; “In the national election, political parties play a part. A day before the national election, you go to the Circle Terminal – you see all buses are full because some political parties facilitate the movement of their supporters to go to their electoral areas and vote.
“We don’t see the same in the District Level Election. So, there are so many deficits in the conduct, management and facilitation of District Level Election that require more sustained and intensified publicity”.
Reports from various electoral areas suggest that there was low voter turnout during the district-level elections held on Tuesday, December 19, 2023, despite intense publicity efforts to encourage participation.
The Electoral Commission had anticipated a 60 per cent turnout from all citizens.
Meanwhile, the Electoral Commission has rescheduled the district-level elections in some electoral areas in the Ashanti and Eastern Regions due to technical challenges.
READ ALSO: District Level Elections: EC Reschedules Polls In Some Areas
The electoral areas in the two regions are expected to vote on Thursday, December 21, 2023, the EC said in a statement signed and released by the Head of Public Affairs, Michael Boadu on Tuesday, December 19, 2023.